Psychic systems

From Geography

Luhmann distinguishes four kinds of systems in society: machines, organisms, psychic systems and social systems. In Luhmann's theory of society he divides society into subsystems. He argues that there is no metaposition from which one can observe society. Therefore he conceived the four different systems mentioned earlier. These systems are not static, but dynamic. Furthermore, due to the inability to gain a metaposition over society the different systems are multi-faceted. In these systems functional differentiation takes place, which means that each system has its own internal code. A clear example can be made with social systems. Examples of functions in a social system are law, politics and science. This kind of functional differentiation also takes place in the psychic system, where thoughts and the psyche have separate functions. Psychic and social systems can be characterized by their use of meaning (Luhmann in Gren & Zierhofer, 2003, p. 617). They cannot exist without organisms and other material systems. The psychic system is a closed system, but it exists as an environment to the social system.

Consciousness and psychic systems

Operations within the psychic system take the form of consciousness and experiences (Gren & Zierhofer, 2003, p. 617). The system is constantly connecting to its own observations. Without this ability to make a distinction between the ‘world’ and ‘everything else’, the system would only result in chaos. Observations of differences make identification possible. In other words, things are what they are, because they refer to each other. The question is how our conscious mind selects something to be occupied with in our very complex world. Herefore our consciousness has to develop techniques of selecting targets. The thing which is eventually chosen, is brought forth by a process of exclusion. Participation in society is required for the organizing of complex observations. This means that it is hard for human beings to make distinctions or comparings when they’re socially isolated. ‘Nature may produce humans, but only the observation of society produces people’ (Lee & Brosziewski, 2009, p. 33).

Communication and psychic systems

Psychic systems construct and sustain themselves through communication. Psychic systems learn themselves to culture when they observe communication. Psychic systems operate through symbolic perceptions. In the material world, symbolics are not directly available. It is communication that makes that we can lay the same symbolic connections between meanings and perceptions. What psychic systems think of communications might influence the communications itself. Psychic systems might cause irritation in the social system because of different thoughts about the communications. This will lead to different communications. Although psychic systems are constructed by communication, it should be emphasized that individuals (or their minds) are not central to Luhmanns society. Communication is what matters, and psychic systems think but do not directly communicate (communication theory/social systems, 2011). 'The psychic system serves as a precondition for communication, but it does not directly enter into it' (Luhmann, 2002, p. 19).

References

- Communication theory/social systems. (2011). Vinddatum 15 oktober 2011 op Wikibooks, op http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Communication_Theory/Social_Systems.

- Gren, M. & Zierhofer, W. (2003). The unity of difference: a critical appraisal of Niklas Luhmann’s theory of social systems in the context of corporeality and spatiality. In: Environment and Planning A., 35, 615-630.

- Lee, D. & Brosziewski, A. (2009). Observing society: meaning, communication and social systems [Electronic version]. Accessed on 1 oktober 2012.

- Luhmann, N. (2002). Theories of distinction: redescribing the descriptions of modernity. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Contributors

Created by Judith Nijenhuis, s3009270

Edited by Bert Hegger on September 25th 2012

Edited by Rosalie Koen on 7 October 2012

Links added by Aafke Brus --AafkeBrus 17:04, 31 October 2011 (CET)